Mrs. Kimberly Wagner’s sophomore students put together a wonderful video version of the Stations of the Cross once again this year. They wrote reflections to go with their assigned station that connected with their lives and paired it with images and music. This is a great Lenten resource! Below is a link to the video stations of the cross and a written script that can be downloaded so people can read along if they like.

Transcript: Stations of the Cross
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iccYguBe3po

The First Station: Jesus is condemned to death 

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture/Description
As soon as morning came, the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council.* They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
Pilate questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”* He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of.”Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested.A man called Barabbas was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed. Pilate answered, “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over.
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead.Pilate again said to them in reply, “Then what [do you want] me to do with [the man you call] the king of the Jews?” They shouted again, “Crucify him.”Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.”So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified. (Mark 15:1-15)

Reflection
How have we sacrificed Jesus for things of our own desires? How have we looked past justice due to being caught up in the crowd? At times we go against our faith because of our free will and choose to turn away from our God. We choose to turn from God because we are trying to protect our image and what other people think of us, like Pilate did in crucifying Christ. An  example of this in our teenage life is if we are being made fun of for praying in public, and stop praying because of this then we are being like Pilate and turning from our beliefs. We have trusted those who judge us on Earth more than the one who will judge us in heaven. As Christians we must stay strong in our faith and stand by God in the tough times that face us. 

Prayer
Lord, you were condemned to death because fear of what other people may think suppressed the voice of conscience. So too, throughout history, the innocent have always been maltreated, condemned and killed. How many times have we ourselves preferred success to the truth, our reputation to justice? Strengthen the quiet voice of our conscience, your own voice, in our lives. Look at me as you looked at Peter after his denial. Let your gaze penetrate our hearts and indicate the direction our lives must take. On the day of Pentecost you stirred the hearts of those who, on Good Friday, clamoured for your death, and you brought them to conversion. In this way you gave hope to all. Grant us, ever anew, the grace of conversion.

The 2nd Station: Jesus carries His cross.

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. 
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture/Description
“Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.”
John 19: 16-17

Reflection
How do we carry our cross in order to serve God everyday? Do we offer up our burdens to God as a sacrifice? Jesus’ cross shows the massive amount of suffering he went through. All people can use a cross as a symbol to reflect upon their suffering. Jesus went through physical pain when he was crucified and many people suffer with physical illnesses. Jesus went through mental suffering when his friends abandoned him when he was on the cross. Friends break relationships sometimes which causes grief and mental suffering. These are examples of how Jesus’ suffering relates to our suffering. Jesus’ carrying of His cross makes it easier for us to carry our cross. How do the crosses we carry relate to Jesus’ cross? Some common crosses we bear are: deaths of loved ones, illnesses that are burdens, struggling to do well in school, and broken relationships with friends. In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” We accept to carry our cross in solidarity with Jesus.

Prayer
Jesus, as you accepted your cross, you knew you would carry it to your death on Calvary. You knew it wouldn’t be easy, but you accepted it and carried it just the same. Sometimes I don’t like the problems that come my way. Sometimes I try to get others to take care of them or solve them for me. Sometimes I become upset when I’m asked to do even the smallest thing to help others. Help me to willingly take on my responsibilities just as you did. Help me to try to solve my own problems and not rely on others as much.

The 3rd Station: Jesus falls the first time

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture/Description 
Jesus falls for the first time while carrying his cross. The Roman soldiers do not make any effort to help him, and yell at him to get up. Although he is provided no help, he gets up and continues to make the journey to his death. Isaiah 53:3-4 describes the pain we inflict on Jesus, stating, “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.”

Reflection 
We condemn Jesus to death through the rush and busyness of our daily lives. We get so caught up in the meaningless and routine activities that we forget how we should really be trying to achieve salvation. Although we easily become tired and eager to quit, Jesus’ strength over his oppressors shows us that we can never give up. As Jesus falls this first time, we see his strength falter. In our lives, we each undergo a fall of strength, and this is when we should look to this station of the cross. Jesus, though weak and beaten, strives on to achieve his Father’s will. Just as Jesus did, we should also get up and fight our battle. What areas in our lives need more attention? Are we giving enough time up to God? Do we strive to fight for God’s will?

Prayer
In your journey, Lord Jesus, you fall three times under the weight of your load, your pain, and your struggle. The burden of hunger, a reality for too many, can keep a person low and without strength for the struggle and without hope for the future. Help us to know that we can be nourishment and strength for one another and to act upon this knowledge to meet this most basic need of the world.We pray for the humility to overcome our embarrassment and shame in order to remain focused on our life with You. For this we pray: God among us, hear our prayer.

The 4th Station: Jesus meets His mother

Lector: We adore you, O Christ and we praise you
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture/Description
Jesus was hauling his cross up the mountain Moriah, surrounded by a screaming crowd. He was feeling tired, upset, beaten, and embarrassed. There was no way he could take this job alone. When he pushed through the crowd, he found Mary, his mother. She gave him comfort and a friendly face to give him strength.

Reflection
In this station, we see that Jesus is human like we are more than any other station. His human side is shown when He sees His mother when he’s carrying the cross. He tries to be strong for and because of her. With all the chaos going on around him, he needed someone he felt safe with to help him get through his most fearful time. Imagine how he felt. He is carrying this gigantic cross on his shoulders for miles and he runs into his most caring life figure. Imagine how you would feel if you saw a friendly face when you were dealing with your hardest burdens.
When have you needed a close friend/family member to help you with a hard time? 
Maybe your friend helped lift you up when you had a bad day.
Maybe your mom was understanding when you got a bad grade.
Maybe a sibling could help you get your mind off of a bad situation.
When have you been there for someone?
Maybe you comforted a friend when they lost a loved one.
Maybe you offered to pay for someone’s meal when they forgot their money.
Maybe you took someone out to make their bad day have some light.
When are you willing to be a Mary in a hateful, yelling crowd?

Prayer

Lord, I’m weary. My energy is sagging, and my motivation is lagging. And I am so in need of you. I need your strength and your fresh touch to get back on track again. Your Word says the joy of the Lord is my strength. If that’s true, then I need your joy to replace all the bone-tired parts of my mind, body, and soul. 

You are my rock, and I run to you today, believing that you will lift up my heavy arms, that you will fuel me for the tasks you’ve given me, and that your joy will completely consume the weakness of my life and make me strong again. I don’t want to stay grounded, crippled by limitations and failed attempts. I’m tired of feeble efforts. Lord, I want to mount up with wings like an eagle and not just fly. I want to soar.
Renew my strength, Lord. Fill me with your supernatural power to overcome each obstacle in my path. With my eyes on you, Lord, with you walking beside me, working through me, I can make it. Thank you, Lord!

The 5th Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross

Lector: We adore you, O Christ and we praise you
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Scripture/Description
“As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross.” Matthew 27:32

Reflection 
This station of the cross is reflected in our everyday lives.  Everyday we help Jesus carry his cross by doing good and trying to make the world a better place. Jesus’s cross represents the sins of the world.  Just like Simon, we have to help Jesus and take responsibility for our sins.  Simon was picked at random, out of  a crowd of hundreds of people, to help Jesus carry his cross. Sometimes we are called upon by God at unexpected times.  In this way we have to be like Simon.  We have to listen to God, and do the things he is asking us to do, even if we are reluctant at first.  It is not just enough to witness, we need to take part, and take action in the situation at hand.  We need to do our best to make an effort to help those in need.

Prayer
Jesus, the soldiers are becoming impatient. This is taking longer than they wanted it to. They are afraid you won’t make it to the hill where you will be crucified. As you grow weaker, they grab a man out of the crowd and make him help carry your cross. He was just watching what was happening, but all of a sudden he is helping you carry your cross.

As a child, sometimes I see people who need my help. Sometimes I pretend not to hear when my parents call me. I disappear when I know others could use my help.

As an adult, sometimes I try to do as little as I can and still get by. Others might need my help, but I ignore their needs. Even when I’m asked to help, I sometimes claim to be too busy.

My Jesus, who has been blessed three times, blessed was he who aided you in bearing the cross. I shall be blessed too shall I aid you in bearing the cross. By obeying you, and being patient I hope to receive you in my lifetime. My Jesus, give me the grace to do so.

6th Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture/Description
A woman named Veronica, who didn’t have much to give, fought her way through the crowd to wipe the sweat and blood from Jesus’ face as he traveled His long and treacherous journey. When Jesus handed her veil back to her, an imprint of his face was miraculously left behind. 

Reflection
Have you ever witnessed someone being bullied and did nothing to help them? Have you ever ignored someone’s feelings because you were afraid of the judgement of society? Have you ever joined in on a conversation talking bad about someone because you were too embarrassed not to? Did you consider how they felt or did you just ignore the situation?  Why didn’t you step in? Were you scared of being judged? Would you want someone to help you even if they were scared of judgement? Think of Veronica’s actions, how she pushed through the crowd to help a friend in need, not worrying about what others would think or what criticism she would face. Think of a time when someone protected you, how grateful you felt to have a friend there for you. How can we be like Veronica? How can you stand up for those in need, even when you have to face judgement from society?

Prayer
O My Jesus, Saint Veronica served You on the way to Calvary by wiping Your beloved face 
with a towel on which Your sacred image then appeared. She protected this treasure, and whenever people touched it, they were miraculously healed. I ask her to pray for the growth of my ability to see Your sacred image in others, to recognize their hurts, to stop and join them on their difficult journeys, and to feel the same compassion for them as she did for You. Show me how to wipe their faces, serve their needs, and heal their wounds, reminding me that as I do this for them, I also do this for You. Saint Veronica, pray for me. Amen.

The 7th Station: Jesus Falls The Second Time

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.  

Scripture/Description 
The cross gets too heavy again and Jesus falls the second time. He prays silently to the Father and tries to move on. He tries not to think or feel, and to avoid the lashes from the soldier’s whips. He struggles against the abuse but eventually he rises to his feet. 

Reflection
Like Jesus, everyone bears a cross. And likewise, we fall down. The weight of our cross brings us down numerous times. But we need to stay determined and get back up. Take a moment to think about this. What kind of cross do you carry? What causes you to fall? What gives you the will to get back up and carry on? What takes away the weight of your cross? Did falling the second time hurt more than the first? How did it make you stronger? Think about how the second fall affected Jesus. When we overcome our burdens, it makes us feel stronger. Imagine you lose a family member to an illness. You’re brought down. Then, you fail a test. You’re brought down more. You feel weak, but something comes up that lifts you back up. It might not seem so, but like Jesus, we do have the ability to rise on our feet and continue with our journey in life.

Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you have borne all our burdens and you continue to carry us. Our weight has made you fall. Lift us up, for by ourselves we cannot rise from the dust. Free us from the bonds of lust. In place of a heart of stone, give us a heart of flesh, a heart capable of seeing. Lay low the power of ideologies, so that all may see that they are a web of lies. Do not let the wall of materialism become unsurmountable. Make us aware of your presence. Keep us sober and vigilant, capable of resisting the forces of evil. Help us to recognize the spiritual and material needs of others, and to give them the help they need. Lift us up, so that we may lift others up. Give us hope at every moment of darkness, so that we may bring your hope to the world

The 8th Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem (LUKE 23: 27-32)

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world 

Scripture/Description
“A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented 
him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’o for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?” 
Luke 23:27-32

Reflection
In this scripture reading it has shown how we must weep for ourselves and children instead of 
Christ. Jesus wants us to weep for those who have to live in the world after us. The world that 
we filled with suffering. Ever since the world has been in existence tragedy has occurred. In our 
world today and in the past, people have been constantly worried about terrorists, money, 
segregation, and even themselves. People worry more about their social status, money, and 
material possessions than their relationship with God. We must weep for those who come after 
us because we made our world like this. Over time our world has experienced a lot of change 
and tragedy. The future generations must learn to value God and try and make the world a 
better place so we could live how Christ wanted us to. 

Prayer
 “Be gracious to me Lord, for I am in distress, affliction is wearing down my eyes, my throat and my insides. My life is worn out by sorrow, and my years by sighing. My strength fails in my affliction, my bones are wearing down. To all my foes, I am a thing of scorn, and especially to my neighbors, a horror to my friends, when they see me in public, they quickly shy away. I am forgotten out of mind by the dead, I am like a worn out tool. I hear the whispers of the crowd, terrors all around me, they conspire against me, they plot to take my life. But I trust in you Lord, I say you are my God.”
Psalms 31:10-15 

The Ninth Station: Jesus falls for the third time

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. 
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. 

Scripture/Description 
He is almost there. Breathless and speechless, Jesus moves on. Every now and then he is pushed by the guarding soldiers. Every now and then someone shouts out from the crowd. He can already hear the screams of the two other prisoners who had left the fortress with him. And again he falls. They laugh at him and mock him. The soldiers push him. He does not give up. He rises again, steadies himself, and walks the last meters separating him from his final destination.

Reflection 
Jesus falls for the third time. He is forced to walk to his own death but gets up because he knows that he will be with his father again. The faith and strength that Jesus shows is what we should strive to be like. Jesus carried the cross alone, many people stood by and watched but nobody made the effort to help him up. How often do we ignore Jesus because we are embarrassed by Him? Our society today ignores Jesus unless it’s convenient for them, we shouldn’t be ashamed of our Lord because when He returns the believers will join him in the kingdom of God. 

Prayer
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You. Thank You, Jesus for rising from the third fall and rising on the third day. May I be transformed by my faith that You will raise me from the dead. 

The 10th Station: Jesus’ clothes are taken away 

Lector: We adore you o christ and we pray for you 
Response: Because by the holy cross you have redeemed the world

Scripture/Description 
“Dividing up his clothes they cast lots to see what each would get.” Matthew 27:35

Reflection  
When Jesus was stripped of his clothes in front of all his neighbors, it was an embarrassment. He was being exposed and he could not do anything about it. How do we strip God of his garments? This is similar to when we go against God and sin. We are exposing and embarrassing Him in front of all his people. All he can do for us is hope we seek redemption and then help us in that way. We have the free will to go against God and to sin, just like the soldiers had the free will to take his clothes and torture him. We are letting ourselves become that person who tortures God and makes him hurt. We cast out God by making fun of him, and by using his name in vain. We don’t stand up for him, and we use his presence in a way that is negative towards society.   
 
Prayer 
Lord Jesus, you were stripped of your garments, exposed to shame, cast out of society. You took upon yourself the shame of Adam, and you healed it. You also take upon yourself the sufferings and the needs of the poor, the outcasts of our world. And in this very way you fulfill the words of the prophets. This is how you bring meaning into apparent meaninglessness. This is how you make us realize that your Father holds you, us, and the whole world in his hands. Give us a profound respect for man at every stage of his existence, and in all the situations in which we encounter him. Clothe us in the light of your grace.

The 11th Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture
“Jesus was taken away, and he carried his cross to a place known as “The Skull.” In Aramaic this place is called “Golgotha.” There Jesus was nailed to the cross, and on each side of him a man was also nailed to a cross. Pilate ordered the charge against Jesus to be written on a board and put above the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The words were written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.”
John 19: 17-20

Reflection
After reading about you getting nailed to the cross, we began to evaluate our lives. We realized that we need to make more sacrifices, like you did. In daily life, we need to find where we are nailing others to the cross, and stop it. We cannot even begin to understand the kind of pain that you were in, and we should never put others through that kind of pain. Where can we use the courage that you had to help others in our lives?

Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you let yourself be nailed to the Cross, accepting the terrible cruelty of this suffering, the destruction of your body and your dignity. You allowed yourself to be nailed fast; you did not try to escape or to lessen your suffering. May we never flee from what we are called to do. Help us to remain faithful to you. Help us to unmask the false freedom which would distance us from you. Help us to accept your “binding” freedom, and, “bound” fast to you, to discover true freedom. Jesus, Crucified Lord,everyone else can deceive us,abandon us, delude us:you alone will never delude us!You let our hands nail you brutally to the cross, as a way of telling us that your love is true,sincere, faithful and irrevocable. Jesus, Crucified Lord, our eyes look upon your hands pierced with nails, yet still capable of granting true freedom; they look upon your feet, nailed to the cross, yet still capable of walking and making others walk. Jesus, Crucified Lord, the illusion of a happiness apart from God is dead. Let us return to you, our sole hope and freedom, our sole joy and truth: Jesus, Crucified Lord, be merciful to us sinners! In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The 12th Station: Jesus Dying on the Cross

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Scripture/Description
“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!””
Matthew 27: 45-54

Reflection 
During our daily lives, we are reminded of the price Jesus has paid for us. Jesus’s death on the cross allows us to be forgiven for the daily sins we commit. His sacrifice on the cross helps us achieve our ultimate goal; which is to reach perfection and the kingdom of heaven. How are we showing Jesus we are thankful for him? Each day we should remember to begin and end our day in prayer, thanking Jesus for all he has done for us, and sharing with him where we wish to see his presence more prominently in our lives. Are we attending weekly Mass? Going to Mass allows us to spend time with Jesus by taking time out of our busy schedules for the Holy One. As Jesus died on the cross, he forgave the people who condemned him to death, in a similar way, are we forgiving our enemies?

Prayer 
Jesus, let me take a few moments now to consider your love for me. Help me thank you for your willingness to go to your death for me. Help me express my love for you! My Jesus, three hours did you hang in agony, and then die for me; let me die before I sin, and if I live, live for thy love and faithful service.

The 13th Station: The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture/Description 
“After this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus.” 
John 19: 38

Reflection
People did not realize that they needed Jesus until after he was gone. We need to appreciate the things in life before they are taken from us.  People take for granted all the things that Jesus has given them until it is too late. By doing this, we condemn Jesus in our daily lives. We are too caught up with material and human made things that we forget to thank God for all of our blessings. We surround ourselves with people that do not care about us for the sake of popularity.  We need to find loving people to surround ourselves with to help us in our lowest times, like Jesus had Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea that took him down from the cross and buried him. 

Prayer
Lord, you descended into the darkness of death. But your body is placed in good hands and 
wrapped in a white shroud (Mt 27:59). Faith has not completely died; the sun has not completely set. How often does it appear that you are asleep? How easy it is for us to step back and say to ourselves: “God is dead”. In the hour of darkness, help us to know that you are still there. Do not abandon us when we are tempted to lose heart. Help us not to leave you alone. Give us the fidelity to withstand moments of confusion and a love ready to embrace you in your utter helplessness, like your Mother, who once more holds you to her breast. Help us, the poor and rich, simple and learned, to look beyond all our fears and prejudices, and to offer you our abilities, our hearts and our time, and thus to prepare a garden for the Resurrection.

The 14th Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb

Lector: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. 

Scripture/Description
“It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.” 
Mark 15: 42-47

Reflection
Jesus’s friends had to take him down from the cross and lay him in the tomb. They held his lifeless body with care and laid him down in reverence. Jesus meant so much to his people, friends, and followers, that they make sure that he has a proper burial with dignity and grace. He made sure to give love to these people in his lifetime and in return the people give him the same love back. Jesus would surely give this love to you, but would you give this love back to him? Would you give the same love and grace to your friends? Would your friends give the same love and grace back to you?

Prayer
Charitable Jesus, for my salvation you performed the painful journey of the Cross. Let me press the footsteps marked by you, gracious Redeemer – the paths which, through the thorns of life, conduct to the heavenly Jerusalem. With you entombed in my heart, and being united to you, I might rise to a new life of grace, and persevere to the end. Grant me, in my last moments, to receive my precious Body, as the pledge of immortal life. Let my last words be Jesus and Mary, my last breath be united to your last breath on the Cross; that with a lively faith, a firm hope and ardent love, I may die with you and for you; that I may reign with you for ever and ever. Amen, Jesus.